Electric time-switch.



PATENTED JULY 8, 1906.

J. M. CHAPPEL. ELECTRIC TIME SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24. 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

[NI/EN T018 WNW/118555.-

PATENTBDJULY a, 1906.

J. M. CHAPPEL.

ELECTRIC TIME SWITCH.

APPLIOATION IILED JULY24. 1905.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES/r Alfomey No. 825,111. PATENTED JULY 3, 1906.

. J. M. GHAPPEL. ELECTRIC TIME SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24. 1905.

a SHEETS-SHEET s.

JAMES M. CHAPPEL, OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

ELECTRIC TIME-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, 1906.

Application filed July 24, 1905- Serial No. 271,015.

'To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMEs M. CHAPPEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of- TeXas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Time-Switches, of which the following is a specification.

switches.

The object of the invention is to provide novel means whereby an electric switch may automatically be operated to complete and to break an electric circuit whereby the times of such operations may accurately be predetermined.

Further, the object of the invention is to provide. a device for automatically operating an electric switch to complete and to break an electric circuit of such construction that the movable parts of the switch shall be operated positively and shall be securely locked in the positions to which they are moved, thereby preventing accidental displacement of the parts.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the parts substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings one form of embodiment of my idea is shown.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention, showing by full lines the positions of the parts when set ready for the automatic closing and subsequent opening of the switch and by dotted lines the positions of the parts after the switch is closed. Fig. 2 is a view of the side opposite to that shown in Fig. 1, the parts being shown in the positions assumed after the switch is opened. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a part of the frame and the mechanism of a clock having attached thereto means for locking and releasing the switch-operating devices. Fig. 4 is a face view of the parts shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail view of a portion of the locking and releasing mechanism by which the spring for opening the switch is overned. Fig. 6 is a detail view of a part of t e means for securing and releasing the sprin by which the switch is closed. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the means for attaching the spring by which the switch is opened to the bail for limiting the movement of this spring. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the device, showing the positions assumed by the parts after the switch has been opened; and Fig. 9 is a detail view particularly showing the positions of the parts when the switch is closed.

In illustrating my invention, I have shown it applied to a simple form of switch consistingl of two pivoted arms insulated from each ot er and corresponding spring-fingers receiving 'the respective arms to complete a This invention relates to electric timecircuit, the arms to be removed from the fingers to break the circuit.

In the drawings, 1 represents the bed-plate of the switch, on which are pivoted the conducting-arms 2 2. Also attached to the bedplate are the socket-fingers 3 3, the arms and socket-fingers being adapted for connection in the usual way with the wires of a lighting system or the like. The pivoted arms 2 2 are connected by a bar 4 of insulating material, and to this bar is attached a post 5, having joined to it by a pivotal connection the mechanism by which the switch is opened and closed. In order to limit the downward movement of the arms 2 2 in closing the switch, I provide the bar 4 with a projection 6, of wood fiber or other suitable material. The projection is of alength to come into contact with the bed-plate when the arms have assumed positions to make perfect contact with the sockets, preventing further movement which mi ht tend to injure the parts.

The means or opening and closing the switch is connected to the post 5 by a link 7, one end of which is pivoted to the post. The link is slotted for nearly its entire length, and the slot receives a pin extending through an eye near the end of a leaf-spring 8. The link is formed with an opening 9 for the reception of a pin for connecting it to the spring 8 when the device is to be used only for automatically breaking a circuit. The spring 8 is secured at one end to the casin 10 of a clock by the mechanism of which t e movements of the switch-operating mechanism are timed and governed.

Mounted on a frame 11 is a standard 12, which standard is located adjacent to the switch. The standardhas in it a slot 13, the pivoted bail 14 attached to the spring 8. The bail is free to move up and down in the slot 13, and the upward movement of the bail, and consequently that of the spring 8, is limited by the play allowed the bail in the slot. The bail is attached to the spring 8 near the end thereof by adjusting-screws 15, passing through a plate 16, having an opening for the reception of the spring. The length of movement of the spring allowed by the bail may be regulated by adjustment of the screws. Attached to the plate 16 bya screw 17 is .a handle 18 for grasping in forcing the spring to a position near the standard, and thus putting v the spring under tension. The inner face of the plate 16 has formed with or attached to,

it a hook-shaped projection 19, as shown particularly in Fig. 5, and this projection is engaged by the hooked end 20 of a trigger-lever 21, pivoted to the standard 12 and extending to a point near the clock-mechanism, where it is locked and released byan attachment to such mechanism hereinafter.

in turn is pivotally unitedwith =arodf23',slidmg inan opening in the standard "12. Therod 23 has in its lower face a notch 24, (shown,

particularly in the detail: Fig. 60f the drawouter end of the slot. to be struck by the head 27"Of-13l16 rod 23 as the latter is moved toward the standard. The

other end of the pin 26 comesinto contact with the end ofthe trigger-lever above the pivot 28 of the latter when pushedby the head 27, forcing one end of the lever into the notch 24 of the rod and bringingthe other end into a position to be engaged by'a catch by'which it is held until -it' isreleased bya 1 connection to the clock mechanism.

The pin 26 has an'indentation'in its lower face, which is adapted toreceive the crosspiece of the bail--when'the latter is carried outward by the spring 8.-

A spring is arranged betweenthepost 5 and the end of the spring 8, and bygthi's spring when the rod-23 is-free to slidein the standard 12 the moving parts of the switch' are forced into contactw'ith the spring-sock; ets, as shown bydotted lines inFig. 1, clos ing the switch. In -the form of the invention here illustrated I employ a coil-spring 29,- one end of which bears against the end'of the the post 5 and slot in-the link 7 adjacent to the other end ofwwhich' passes through the other end of this slot and the end of the spring 8 forminga pivot connecting the link and the spring 8.

The trigger-levers 21- and 25 both extend into the casing 10 of the clockywhere they are respectively engagedby catches-30 3l, car ried by springs 32 33,- and formed within clined faces, as. shownparticularly-in F i'g. 3

of the drawings.-

Oonnected, to the Y arbor of the hour-hand of the clock mechanism by independent gears and pinions to causethem to rotate simul-= taneously with and in the samedirection as which will be described Connected to the post-5 is a bar 22, which also througheyes in the hour-hand of the clock are the gears 34 and 35. Each of the gears 34 35 has formed with or attached to it ,a sleeve 36, having therein a notch 37, and bearing on the end of eachsleeve is a pin 38, carried by a shaft extendin to the rear face of the clock. The shaft of the gear 34 has on it a hand 39, placed in front ofgia dial on the rear face of the clock, while that of the gear 35 has a hand 41 placed in front of a dial 42.

The sprin s 32 and 33 bear against the cars 34 an 35, respectively, and tend to force the sleeves 36 against the pins 38.

Insetting the-device for an initial operation-the switch isopened manually, and as this is done the head of the rod 23 is forced against the pin 26, pressing the latter against the trigger-lever 25. This movement forces one end of the lever into the notch 24 of the rod 23 andcarries the other end over the inclined face of the catch-31, which catch is forced by the spring 33- into the position shown in Fig. 3 to lockthe lever in place. The handle 18 is then forcedinward'against the resiliency of the spring 8 and theprojection 19' brought into engagement with the hook on the. .end of the trigger-lever 21. This movement of the handle 18 also placed the spring 29-undertension, the parts being in thepositions shown by full-lines in Fig. 1. Thecontact of the projectionwith the head of the lever-2 1'- depresses the latter throughoutits length and brings its rear end over and into contact with the catch 30. In this position all'the parts are securelylocked and will'remain-so until the catches are removed from engagement-with the trigger-levers. 1 The hands'39-and 41 are-next set to point to the hours at which-the trigger-levers are respectively'to be released. Inasmuch as the gears 34 and 35 move in accord with the hour-hand of the clock and as the pins 38 are parallel 'to' the .hands 39 and 41, the setting of either hand to-point to any hour on its dial willjin-- sure the dropping of its pin into the notch of the sleeve against which it bears at the designated hour, thus allowing the spring 32 or 33 to carry its catch away fromengagement with the trigger-lever against which it bears. The trigger-lever25; will be released first,-and when this takes place bythe movement of the clock mechanism and the connection-between-the-latter and the catch 31 the spring 29'will be freed and will expand and force the switch into a closed-position. As the arms2 2 mo-vetoward the fingers, 3 the pivotal pin connecting the link With" the spring 8 will move-freely in the slot of the link and when the switch is closed will bear against the outer face of the slot. When the catch 30 is moved from engagement with=the -tr-iggerlever 21, the sprin 8 operates to open the switch,- bringingt epa-rts to the positions shown in Fig. 2. As the switch is thus opened the head of the bar 23 coming into contact withthe pin 26 forces the latter against the trigger-lever 25, carrying its end over the inclined face of the catch 31 and into contact with the locking-face of the catch. As the spring 8 moves outward the bail is brought into engagement with the notch in the pin 26, securing the latter and the parts controlled by it against rebound. The switch when it has assumed the position as set forth is securely locked against accidental displacement by arring or otherwise. By bringing the hook 19, carried by the spring 8, into engagement with the trigger-lever 21 the parts are all set ready for another operation to be started by the clock mechanism at the time indicated by the hands opposite the dials on the rear face of the clock.

If desired, the mechanism may be used only for operating to open a switch which has been closed manually at a redetermined time. When this is desired, t e spring 29 is removed from the machine and the pivot connecting the spring 8 with the link is removed from the slot in the latter and a pin is passed through the opening 9 of the link and through the eye near the end of the spring 8. When the parts are thus connected, the arms of the switch have no movement to open or close independently of the spring 8, and the switch will be automatically opened and held open by the spring at the time indicated by the hand 39 on its dial.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An electric time-switch comprising a part movable to make and break an electric circuit, two springs both permanently connected to said movable part and each adapted to move it in a direction opposite to that in which it is' moved by the other, a clock mechanism, and connections between the clock mechanism and the springs whereby the latter are respectively caused to operate at predetermined times, substantially as described.

2. An electric time-switch comprising a part movable to make and break an electric circuit, two springs each adapted to move the movable part in a direction 0 posite to that in which it is moved by the ot er, a connection permanently uniting the movable part of the switch and the two springs, a clock mechanism, and means governed by the clock mechanism whereby the springs are respectively released at predetermined times, substantially as described.

3. An electric time-switch comprising movable contact-arms, a link connected with the arms, two springs connected to the link and each adapted to move the link in a direction opposite to that in which it is moved by the other, triggers for retaining the springs under tension, a clock mechanism, and connections between the clock mechanism and the triggers whereby the triggers are respectively released at predetermined times, substantially as described.

4. An electric time-switch comprising a movable part of a switch adapted to make and break an electric circuit, two springs both connected to the movable part and each adapted to move it in a direction opposite to that in which it is moved by the other, means permanently connecting the movable part and the springs whereby each spring is rendered capable of operating independently of the other, means for retaining the springs under tension, a clock mechanism, and means operated by the clock mechanism for releasing the springs, substantially as described.

5. An electric time-switch comprising a part ofa switch movable to make and break an electric circuit, a slotted link connected to the movable part, a spring connected to the link by a pin entering and free to slide in the slot, a second spring bearing at one end against the first and at the other end against the link, means for retaining the springs under tension, a clock mechanism, and means connecting the clock mechanism and the means for retaining the springs under tension whereby the springs may be released at predetermined times, substantially as described.

6. An electric time-switch comprising a part of a switch movable to make and break an electric circuit, a spring connected with the movable part, a bail attached to the spring, means for governing the movement of the bail, means for retaining the spring under tension, a clock mechanism, and means connecting the clock mechanism and the retaining means, whereby the latter may be operated at a predetermined time, substantially as described.

7. An electric time-switch comprising a part of a switch movable to make and break an electric circuit, two springs connected to the movable part'and adapted to move the latter in opposite directions, a sliding rod connected to the movable part, a trigger adapted to engage the movable rod, a clock mechanism, and a connection between the clock mechanism and the trigger whereby the trigger is engaged, and released at a predetermined time, substantially as described.

8. An electric time-switch comprising a part of a switch movable to make and break an electric circuit, two springs connected to the movable part and adapted to move the latter in opposite directions, a sliding rod connected to the movable part, a pin capable of longitudinal movement arranged adjacent to the rod, a bail attached to one of the springs, a trigger engaging the rod, a clock mechanism, and a connection between the clock mechanism and the trigger whereby the latter is released at a predetermined time, substantially as described.

9. An electric time-switch comprising a part of a switch movable to make and breakan electric circuit, tWo springs connected to the movable part and adapted to move the latter in opposite directions, a sliding rod connected to the movable part, two triggers respectively engaging one of the springs and the sliding rod, a clock mechanism, and means for retaining and releasing the triggers comprising springs having catches, rotating sleeves having indentations against Which the springs bear, and pins bearing on the ends of the sleeves and adapted to enter the indentations, substantially as described 10. An electric time-switch comprising a part of a switch movable to make and break an electic circuit, a spring connected to the 1 driven by the clock mechanism, a rod having a pin bearing against the sleeve and adapted I to enter the indentation, a hand attached to the rod, and a dial arranged adjacent to the hand, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses. 1 1

JAMES M. OHAPPEL. 

